Governor's Report: Opioid Deaths Surge In Forsyth County

Forsyth County had the largest increase among urban counties in opioid-related deaths between 2005 and 2015, according to a report released Monday by Gov. Roy Cooper's office.

In Forsyth County, the number of opioid deaths more than quadrupled over ten years, jumping from 13 in 2005 to 53 in 2015.

For comparison, Mecklenburg County rose from 26 to 61 over the same period. Guilford County rose from 27 to 47.

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the combined regions of the Triad and Northwest North Carolina climbed from 130 to 235.

That represents more than 20 percent of the state's 1,110 opioid-related deaths in 2015.

Cooper's office released the report as part of his efforts to raise awareness of the opioid crisis. Cooper recently joined a national bipartisan commission led by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.